California Mission Studies Association NEWSLETTER

Volume 2, Number 1  October 1985

David Hornbeck, editor

CENTER PLAN AT MISSION IS OPPOSED

by Ed Jahn, Staff Writer
Reprinted from: The San Diego Union, Thursday, June 27, 1985

The city's Historical Site Board yesterday rejected plans to build a multipurpose center at San Diego Mission de Alcala after hearing that the structure might be built over the graves of California's first converts to Christianity.

Not only is there new information regarding the historical significance of the site, the Board said, but the Roman Catholic diocese, in violation of the 1980 plan for the center, now proposes to build a 9,600 square foot building where it once planned a 4,000 square foot structure. In addition, it notes there is no general plan governing use of the 9-acre mission.

The historical board's 7-2 vote is only advisory, and the matter now goes to the City Council.

Don Worley, attorney for the diocese, shrugged off yesterday's setback and vowed that construction will begin within a year regardless of the board's decision.

"The next step is that this issue will go to the City Council and I have already litigated these issues on other buildings," he said. "The board's objection can last a maximum of 365 days and we will build that building."

He pointed out that the City Council can overrule the decision by the board. " I think they'll treat it more rationally and they are more sophisticated and attuned to due process than this group," he said.

In a surprising development, Dr. Norman Neuerburg, a historical consultant, told the board he has determined that the new center would be built over the original mission's cemetery, which may contain the graves of the state's earliest priests and converts.

Neuerburg, backed by Ron May, staff archaeologist for San Diego County, said a study of the mission's records shows that the original mission, built in 1781, had a cemetery running along the entire length of its north side. Earlier studies had concluded the cemetery was farther west, he said.

Dr. Nicholas Magalousis, assistant professor of archaeology at Chapman College and a member of the California Mission Studies Association, urged that the association be allowed to conduct a thorough analysis of the archaeological data and historical records before any construction begins.

Monsignor I. Brent Eagen, mission pastor, said the diocese wants to maintain the historic site, but the center should be built because the mission's founder, Father Junipero Serra "would want us to maintain an active community of worshipers while leaving the grounds open to all faiths. He said the new building, resembling an old structure that had occupied the site, will complete the mission quadrangle.

But opponents of the center, led by Joy Higginbotham, president of the Committee for the Preservation of Mission San Diego de Alc ala, argued that the diocese was "using the bait-and-switch maneuver" by originally offering one plan and then changing it five years later. She pointed out that the diocese already has built a gift shop and restrooms on the property without first getting building permits.

The City of San Diego's Historical Site Board voted for a second time Wednesday to hold up a proposal by the San Diego Catholic Diocese.to build on the ruins at Mission San Diego de Alcala. But the diocese plans to wait out the delay and build anyway.

The board's 7-2 decision was identical to its April vote to reject a multipurpose center designed in the style of the mission's other buildings. But Deputy City Atty. John Riess said the board can only recommend a six-month delay in granting a building permit, subject to City Council approval. The council also could approve one additional six-month delay.

"We're going to build the building," said diocese attorney Don Worley. "If we had come in and wanted to build a highrise tower, all we'd have to do is wait it out. "

William Schwartz, the attorney for a group of preservationists and archeologists who have opposed the building, said he would not concede that the diocese has that right. Ron May, a member of that group, the Committee for the Preservation of the Mission San Diego de Alcala, suggested that the plan would require a new environmental impact report.

Historical Site Board members sided with preservationists who said the mission 's building plan was different from the one originally presented in 1980. Though the plan includes a 10-foot buffer zone of soil under the building, May told the board that the 20 concrete pilings supporting the structure would damage whatever archeological treasures are left on the site.

"This is a classic case of bait and switch," May said. "They write an environmental report that makes the public think everything's going to be fine, and then when they actually go in for their architectural permit, they're going to drill 20-holes."

Board members avoided the issue of the concrete pilings in their April decision. They turned down the mission's proposal because of an apparent change in the size of the building since the 1980 plan, from 4,000 to 8,400 square feet. But Worley convinced the board that the discrepancy was a clerical error and that the diocese was not at fault. On Wednesday, board members said they were concerned that there might still be items of historical significance on the building site and that the 1980 board had been unable to assess the impact the concrete pilings might have. But they suggested that they might approve the building if the diocese comes up with more information about the archeological remains at the site.

Museums have difficulty directing their research, ideas, and knowledge, because the public may include tourists, scholars, children, different languages, different backgrounds -- all of which must be taken into account for maximum impact. One solution is a mural diorama.

In the Native American Room of the museum at Mission San Juan Capistrano, artist David Barton Johnson, in co-operation with anthropologist/archaeologist Nicholas M. Magalousis, has created an interpretive diorama of how the area and its people looked before the Spanish arrived in 1769.

Three duck hunters are painted nearly life-size about to throw a net over painted and stuffed ducks in the foreground. Saddleback Mountain, primary landmark in Orange County, is shown behind the prehistoric backbay area that depicts the fresh water/saltwater flora/fauna. To the left is a village of thatched huts and a granary woven with bay leaves and cedar bark to keep insects and animals away from the acorns. Excellent Juaneno baskets, both painted and actual, are shown with mano and metate, blending with the mural. The other side has a rock shelter a group of Indians huddling around a fire that displays weaving, petroglyphs, native plants, and a midden.

To compete with television and the multitudes of things available to modern viewers, the mural provides a dynamic recreation in color of the Museum staff's point of emphasis -- education.

It is like having a teacher on duty speaking many languages 365 days a year. Murals also cause people to ask questions which is a primary reason for museums and educational programs. Docents can then point to a particular portion of the mural, display, or to a book to help answer when people ask questions.

It is recommended that mission museums attempt to provide their museum visitors with educational murals.

Many of our CMSA -members have written books as well as articles for periodicals and newspapers. CMSA is very interested in knowing what you have written. Please send us the following information about your writings :

FOR BOOKS: author (last name first), title (underlined), place of publication, publisher, date of publication, number of pages (both Roman and Arabic numerals).

FOR ARTICLES, from books, periodicals and newspapers: author (last name first), title of article, publication title, date published, volume number and number of issue, number of pages.

FOR NEWS FROM CURRENT NEWSPAPERS: please send article from such a newspaper immediately. Please include bibliographic information as listed above for articles.

Please send to: Father Francis J. Fox, S.J. , Office of the Archivist
California Mission Studies Association (CMSA)
P.O. Box 128, Los Gatos, California 95031.

Do not send books or articles, except as mentioned; if we need such material, we will let you know.

Archives, in general, are considered to be those records of any public or private institution which are judged worthy of permanent preservation for reference and/or research purposes and which have been placed on file in a safe place where they will be readily available. These records may consist of correspondence, books, maps, architectural plans, photographs, tapes, or other documentary materials regardless of physical form or characteristics. It is now an accepted principle that to be archival, records must have been produced or accumulated in order to accomplish a specific purpose. They may also have values for purposes other than those for which they were produced or accumulated in the first place.

The importance of archives becomes clear when we consider that the framework of our modern civilization is rooted in foundations of preceding generations. Therefore, it follows that both the security of its institutions and the means of further progress depend in a vital manner upon the safety and-accuracy of its records. No institution can take exception to this truism.

In light of these considerations, the efforts of the CMSA to organize and preserve its historical records is most commendable indeed. Here is a possible program for CMSA:

1. Organize and inventory correspondence and other papers.
2. Organize and arrange a clerical personnel file, particularly those who have had a vital role to play in the organization and growth of each of the California missions.
3. Research, organize, and arrange a mission history file.
4. Organize and arrange a mission picture collection.
5. Organize and arrange for each mission printed documents and pamphlets of historical interest.
6. Obtain microfilm copy of documents pertaining to the history of each California mission which may be found in other archives.
7. Organize a newspaper clipping file for each mission a s well as the missions in general. A clipping service might be useful.
8. Undertake an oral history program which, through interviews, can increase our knowledge of mission history.
9. Acquire funds to computerize the above noted projects.

A program is currently being developed by the Museum at Mission San Juan Capistrano to take a "bit of cultural history" into local classrooms. Titled Discovering Our Cultural Heritage, this innovative course of study will deal with three major areas involving Mission San Juan Capistrano.

The first, "Native American Lifestyles," will focus on early and current Indian populations in Orange County. The second, titled "Spanish Life at the Mission,” wi11 explain and examine the influence of the Spaniard on mission life, and the third section, "Discovering Archaeology," will introduce students to current archaeological excavations at the Mission, and the importance of recent finds.

This enrichment program is geared for elementary school children and will be presented to individual classrooms by docents of the Mission. It is hoped that these special areas of study will supplement the regular studies of California history and also tie into "Saturday at the Mission, ” which is offered to school-age children on the first Saturday of each month.

An educational kit will be available with each section of the program, includ- ing maps, booklets, slides, and artifacts. Archaeological tools will be available so children can ha ve a hands-on experience in the field of archaeology at their own school site.

Students will also have an opportunity to select from a list of several optional projects to enrich their mission studies. Choices range from building a model of Mission San Juan Capistrano to researching and writing a report on early Spanish explorers.

It is hoped that, over a period of time, students will participate in all four sections of study, three classroom sections, and one Saturday at the Mission session, which will enable them to receive a special historical certificate upon completion of the course.

A pilot program is being planned for Summer, 1985, with expectations of expanding the project into several elementary schools at the start of school next fall.

Individuals interested in this program may contact the Museum Office, Mission San Juan Capistrano, P.O. Box 697 San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693

Newsletters are difficult to manage: they require time and effort out of proportion to their size and depend to a considerable extent on the amount of news, notes, and information sent in from the readership. The lateness of this issue is due both to the lack of time, for which the editor heartily apologizes, and to the lack of information. The CMSA Newsletter is an important tool for the dissemination of information and news among the membership. Please help by sending in tidbits on new books and articles you've read, photos, your own activities, and anything else you think might be interesting to other readers of the Newsletter.

The Executive Board of the California Mission Studies Association meets periodically to discuss the development of the Association. Members of the Board include Frank Ducey, Dr. Robert Hoover, Dr. David Hornbeck, Edna Kimbro, Nicholas Magalousis, Rev. Paul Martin, and Kenneth Pauley.

Norman Wilson, from the Department of Parks and Recreation (State of California), is the newest member of this Board. In addition, the Board has selected Father Francis Fox, S.J., to serve as the CMSA Archivist. Father Fox has years of experience in archival work and will attempt to establish two archival centers, one in Northern California and one in Southern California.

As most of you know, the CMSA conference at the San Jose Mission was a complete success, and we are now planning for the 1986 conference to be held in Ventura.

The CMSA Legal Council is progressing steadily in attempting to secure State and Federal tax-deductible status for the Association. In the near future, a Board of Trustees for the Association will need to be established in order to complete this process.

The Board will also attempt to secure grants in the future in order to develop state-wide computer projects of benefit to Association members. If you are interested in assisting in the grant development program, please let us know. Also, please be advised that you are welcome to submit short articles or news briefs for publication in the CMSA Newsletter.

The last note of business is that preservation problems exist throughout the state, and we are a body of persons who can assist in the mitigation of problems such as those at Mission San Diego, Mission San Juan Bautista, and Mission Santa Ines. So please get involved, as our resources are precious and can be diminished.

We, the Executive Board, wish to thank the membership of CMSA for their support. The future is bright and our status is very good.

CMSA MEETING

The second annual meeting of the California Mission Studies Association will be held at Mission Buenaventura, February 7, 8, and 9, 1986. The meeting is co-chaired again this year by Edna Kimbro and David Hornbeck and promises to be as exciting and informative as last year's meeting. The local arrangements committee is chaired by Ann Snyder. If you would like to assist Ann or if you have a display of something related to missions (e.g., old photos, maps, books, pictures, or diaries), please call Ann at (805) 985-0314.

Hotel accommodations have been made with the Clocktower Inn 181 East Santa Clara St. Ventura, CA 93001 (805) 652-0141. Enclosed is the registration form. Please make your reservations early.

The tentative schedule is as follows:

Feb. 7
12-5 pm: registration
1-5 pm: local field trips
5-6 pm: keynote address
6-? pm: cocktail reception at the Ventura Historical Museum

Feb. 8
8 am - noon: papers
1-5 pm: workshops
7-? pm: banquet

Feb. 9
field trip and Mass